


All The Way Home I'll Be Warm

by Alene



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Bi Eva, Christmas Fluff, F/M, M/M, SKAM Secret Santa, Snowed In
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 12:33:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13190184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alene/pseuds/Alene
Summary: Eva finds her way back to Jonas, but more importantly she finds her way back to herself. Isak just happens to find Even in the process. Also, it's almost Christmas, and they're snowed in.





	All The Way Home I'll Be Warm

**Author's Note:**

> AU where Even never transferred to Nissen. Written for the Skam Secret Santa exchange as a gift for Jemma/ [holocene-days ](http://holocene-days.tumblr.com). 
> 
> Title is from Let It Snow – special thanks to [ Kittpurrson](http://archiveofourown.org/users/kittpurrson/pseuds/kittpurrson) for suggesting it, giving invaluable advice and betaing this. Love you bb!!!

Originally it had been Vilde’s idea to volunteer at the youth centre in Løkka. She’d been thinking a lot, she said, about that letter Sana wrote them, especially about the social worker who had claimed that Sana had anger issues. It could be good for young kids to experience a more positive presence in their lives. To meet adults that are supportive. Not that they felt like adults, Eva thought, although almost all of them had turned eighteen already. 

Sana had decided to take summer courses this year. Unlike the others, she had actual plans for her future and she was serious about getting to study medicine after high school. Noora had gone back to Madrid after her relationship with William had crashed and burned. (Again). But Vilde, Chris, and Eva went to the centre a few times a week. They helped younger kids with their summer reading and organized board game tournaments or baked cupcakes and cinnamon rolls. It was kind of like Kosegruppa, but with people who actually appreciated Vilde’s efforts and didn’t roll their eyes constantly. 

Chris stopped coming after a while. She had started hanging out with Mutta a lot, which was good; It seemed that she was finally completely over her disastrous break-up with Kasper. And by the end of summer even Vilde seemed to have less and less time to come to the centre. She had to help her mom with something, apparently. 

Eva shrugged it off and continued to go by herself. It wasn’t like she had anything better to do. Her mom was gone most of the time, her dad was busy with his new family in Bergen, like always, and Jonas had FIFA nights with Isak and Magnus and Mahdi pretty much every other night. While Eva used to get along with Isak, the other two boys always managed to make her feel like an outsider. She was sure that they didn’t mean to hurt her, because they seemed like good guys and Magnus made Vilde happier than Eva had ever seen her. But the way they sometimes talked about girls made her skin crawl nonetheless.   

Sometimes Eva wondered if Jonas was like that, too, when she wasn’t around. He was kind of an asshole back when they first dated a few years ago, that she could admit, but she liked to think he had grown up since then. They both had. Things had been going very well between them, lately. They finally talked everything out after Sana’s Eid-party, stayed up the whole night whispering apologies.

A few days later they were officially officially back together.

 

***

 

Wednesdays were Eva’s favourite nights at the youth centre. From five to seven they offered group activities for children under 13 and after seven dance classes for anyone interested. When the resident dance instructor, Guro, had injured her ankle during a competition, Eva let it slip that she had taken ballet and street classes all through elementary and middle school. All of a sudden she had a paid gig as a substitute dance teacher. And it turned out that she had really missed it. 

She had dropped the classes back when the workload had gotten too much in high school and her mom had suggested that she should focus more on her studies. But now that she was dancing again, she found herself wishing she had never listened to her mom in the first place. She had never been good at academics, and there was a time when she had thought that she wasn’t particularly good at friendships or relationships, either. A time when making out with Vilde and pretending it didn’t mean anything, a time when sleeping with the biggest fuckboy of the century had felt like a better option than letting herself be emotionally vulnerable ever again.

Now Eva was slowly realising that she could be a good friend, and she could be a good girlfriend. She could be a good girlfriend to any boy or any girl of her choosing, now that she had admitted that what she felt for Vilde last year wasn’t just friendly, and it wouldn’t probably be the last time she felt something like that for another girl.

It had been scary to think of at first, and even scarier to talk about with Jonas once they got back together. But Jonas had just smiled and petted her hair. And then they had made nachos together and watched some Netflix. God, she loved him. Had never stopped, really.

So, Eva knew she might not be that good at school, her grades would probably never be above average, but she was starting to believe she was a good person. And she was a good dancer. Nothing could give her more joy than that feeling of her body taking over, her mind completely empty apart from the beat of the music, the beat of her big, big heart that had been through so much.

Teaching dance classes gave her a chance to spread that joy and see it in others. When a kid finally got a dance move right after god knows how many tries, she felt like jumping up and down. And if someone couldn’t get it right at all, she told them that they were probably good at something else. Everyone is good at something, she said, and wished that someone had told her that two years ago when she had been at her lowest point.

She would never have guessed it, but kids actually loved her. Granted, they didn’t love her as much as they loved Even – the new volunteer leader of the children’s group that met right before Eva’s dance classes. But then again, everyone seemed to love Even, children and adults alike. He was a university student who had started at the youth centre in October, around the same time Eva had found out that Guro’s injury was much worse than originally thought and that she had stay on the sidelines until Christmas, at the very least.

Even had started with a bang – during his first night he didn’t bring out board games or cupcake pans. Instead he asked how many of the kids had their own smartphones and made them write their own short film scripts. He showed the best free video editing apps and said that they could make their own Youtube channel as long as everyone got a permission from their parents. Eva was early at the centre that night, nibbling her banana and trying to do her homework while she waited for the dance classes to begin. Soon she was too enthralled to do anything but watch Even work with the kids. She had never seen them more excited.

Every week Even lingered at the centre after the most of his group had long gone to their respective homes. He helped Eva move the furniture around and make room for the dance class. When the class started, he sat quietly in the corner with a notebook and seemed to sketch something.

At first Eva was worried that Even was into her. She didn’t know how to casually bring up that she had a boyfriend, so after a few weeks she asked Jonas if he was interested to see what she did at the centre.

Jonas was kind of excited to come; he had started rambling about how it was important for kids from different social backgrounds to have a chance to do something they enjoy. He realised that could interview Namra, leader of the centre, for his social studies essay. Jonas’ excitement made Eva feel warm all the way to her toes. Deep down, she still remembered that time Jonas accused her of not having interests and opinions of her own. Now Jonas actually wanted to be part of something that was important to her.    

So, Jonas came and went, but Even didn’t seem particularly upset to find out that Eva was taken. He continued to help with the furniture, he continued to tell stories about his first year at the university and continued to sketch during Eva’s classes. It was safe to assume, Eva concluded, that Even wanted to be her friend.

Eva had never really been good at being friends with guys, truth be told. Actually, the only guy she had been friends with that she hadn’t ended up sleeping with at some point was Isak. And not for the lack of trying from her part, because she had definitely tried to hit on Isak at that stupid Penetrator fundraiser. And she may have blacked out after that, but Noora had told her enough about it to make her face burn with shame every time she thought about it. It had just turned out that Isak was very, very gay and decidedly not interested.

But, yeah, Eva could be friends with Even. She could.

 

***

 

The Wednesday before Christmas it had been snowing the whole day, and the weather only kept getting exponentially worse. Even had planned to make alcohol-free gløgg and gingerbread cookies with the kids. They were going to upload their films on Youtube today, so that everyone could show them to their families during the Christmas break.

In the end only two kids showed up and Namra decided it was best to cancel everything for the night. She sent a group text to everyone who was supposed to come to the dance classes later that evening and promised to take the kids who had braved the weather back to their homes. After she had asked at least five times if Eva and Even would get home okay, she wished them a merry Christmas and reminded them to lock the doors when they left.

“Trams aren’t running,” Even said, staring at his phone with a deep crease on his forehead. He had just put the gingerbread dough back in the fridge and was in the process of putting all his layers of clothing back on. Eva took her phone out and pulled the RuterReise app, but it said exactly the same thing. Not a single tram was running and half the buses were cancelled as well.   

“Did you have plans for tonight? I’m sure we could wait here until the worst of it is over,” Eva asked after she had mentally gone through all the options she had. She could probably go to the kollektiv even though Noora didn’t live there anymore. It was only a few blocks away.

Eskild would welcome her with open arms. Linn would barely notice they had a visitor. And Isak would be okay with Eva showing up unannounced, too. They had mostly patched up their friendship, although they didn’t hang out as much as they used to. They both had friends other than Jonas and each other now.  

At first when they got back together, Eva had been hesitant to talk to Jonas about Isak’s involvement in everything that had happened during their first year at Nissen, but it turned out that Jonas had guessed the most of it already. Isak had come out to the boys around Christmas last year, and while he had never outright told what he did, he had hinted at it. Jonas was a smart guy. It didn’t take a lot for him to figure it out.

They hadn’t really talked about it, all three of them, but at least Jonas had agreed that Isak wasn’t the only one who fucked up back then. They all did, and there was no point in blaming anyone after all this time. Eva had a feeling that Jonas had forgiven Isak way before he even knew everything. Just like Eva herself had forgiven him before she found out it wasn’t her Isak had feelings for. Probably before he apologized to her at that cold park bench, even.               

So, yeah. While Eva could definitely go to the kollektiv, it would be rude to leave Even here all by himself.

“Hmmm?” Even asked just then, still scrolling through his phone.

“I said we could probably wait here until the worst is over,” Eva repeated.

“Yeah, I guess.” Even took the beanie and scarf off again.

“Okay, I’ll text Jonas first. Then we can entertain each other.”

  
**Eva** _(16:54)_ Where r u? Namra cancelled the class but I can’t make it home. Trams aren’t running 

 **Jonas** _(16:56)_ Got some christmas money from abuelo _*sunglasses emoji*_  Isak and I are going to get pizza @villa paradiso

 **Jonas** _(16:56)_ You want pizza btw? We could come to the centre. Its closer than the kollektiv

**Eva** _ (16:57)  _ Ofc :p can you get me that veggie one, primavera I think? It was so good that time mom took us there

**Jonas** _ (16:57)  _ Yupppp

 

“Jonas is coming here,” Eva informed Even, “with pizza.”

“Nice, do you think he could bring one for me?”

“Sure, I’ll ask. They’re at Villa Paradiso.”

“Wow,” Even said, raising his eyebrows. “I’m impressed. Is your boyfriend loaded or something?”

“Nah, but he got some christmas money.”

After googling the menu Even made his decision. “La Risacca sounds good. If it’s okay? I’ll pay for it.”

 

**Eva** _ (16:59)  _ Hang on, even says he wants la risacca. Can you bring tht one too?

**Eva** _(16:59)_ he’s stuck here with me _*shrug*_

 **Eva** _(17:00)_ Ill give him your number so he can send money. 

**Jonas** _ (17:01)  _ Yeah, okay. Do u want a cola or sth?

**Eva** _ (17:01)  _ yes pls!!! 

 

Even suggested that they bake gingerbread cookies while they waited. After all, they had perfectly good cookie dough just sitting in the fridge, and it would be nice have some snacks if they had to stay at the centre for a long time. Even rolled the dough while Eva rummaged around in the drawers and cupboards for cookie cutters. Soon enough they had a nice rhythm going on, cutting cookies and placing them on a sheet in a companionable silence.  

Just as the first batch went to the oven, Eva’s phone pinged with a new message. 

 

**Jonas** _ (17:31)  _ Ok, got the pizza now. Will be there in 10 mins tops <3

**Eva** _ (17:31) *thumbs up emoji* _

 

“They will be here soon,” Eva told Even, but he seemed to be completely focused on cutting the next batch of cookies and humming to himself. She doubted that he had actually registered what she said, but guessed that it didn’t matter. 

Eva felt suddenly relieved that the night had turned out the way it did. The last couple of weeks had been filled with ridiculous amounts of exam prep and anxiety. She had barely seen Jonas since the party Mahdi had at his place the week before, and hanging out and eating pizza sounded pretty much perfect right now.  

As much as Jonas and Isak had made fun of Eva’s bus plans during the first year, the boys actually had a russebus of their own, now. It was Magnus who suddenly decided he didn’t want to miss that experience and didn’t want to do it without ‘his best bros’. And it seemed no one could say no to Magnus. Not even Jonas. So in the end they had joined Julian Dahl and some other guys who had a bus already.

Never in a million years would Eva have thought that Jonas would do the russ thing. And now he was the one with an actual bus, while Eva and the girls were happy with their loser van.

The boys’ bus was called  _ Vivà la drità _ . Jonas had tried to point out that  _ viva _ didn’t usually have an accent on top of a, but no one listened. So  _ Vivà la drità _ it was, and last friday the boys had had the sickest party of the year at Mahdi’s – also according to Magnus. Not that Eva would know. She and Jonas had ducked out pretty early and spent hours at McDonalds, feeding each other french fries and giggling at things that would probably have been a lot less funny had they been more sober.

The next day Jonas had read from the boys’ group chat that Mahdi’s house got completely trashed. Eva guessed Mahdi’s parents weren’t going to buy his good Catholic school boy act anymore.

Aaaand, Isak had apparently hooked up with a cute first year, a sassy little thing. Russ guys hooking up with first years was such a cliché, like Vilde had been quick to point out, and the guy, Sander, didn’t actually seem like Isak’s type at all, but who was Eva to judge? She had slept with guys way worse.

Chris Schistad, for example.

Since Isak had been avoiding Sander steadfastly ever since the weekend, Eva guessed that it had been more a drunken mistake than anything else, but people liked to talk. Just the other day she had heard a group of first year girls discussing excitedly how to get Isak and Sander together. At least they had looked ashamed when they realised that Eva and Vilde were in the same bathroom.

 

***

 

Jonas and Isak arrived covered in snow, with four pizza boxes, two big bottles of coke, and a six-pack of Ringnes. 

“What the fuck? You can’t drink beer here, this place is for kids,” Eva snapped immediately. Isak didn’t bother with an answer, just rolled his eyes and began getting rid of the clothes that were dripping on the floor already.   

“I didn’t think there would be any kids here,” Jonas pointed out, looking only mildly apologetic.

“There isn’t, but you could be a little more respectful. I work here and I want to actually continue working here.”

“I’m sure it’s not that big of a deal.” Isak’s words were muffled by the sweater that was currently stuck over his head.

As soon as he managed to free himself, though, his eyes locked with Even’s and he seemed to stop in his tracks. Eyes wide, he stared at Even two, three, maybe five seconds too long. It wasn’t until Jonas nudged him gently that he seemed to realise what he was doing and turned quickly away, cheeks suspiciously pink.     

Even, for his part, looked like a deer caught in headlights. He coughed uncomfortably.

“Eva?” he asked. “Could we talk a little?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Jonas gave a questioning look as Eva and Even retreated to the other end of the big common area, stumbling over the beanbags and going round all the mismatched sofas. Eva just shrugged back. She had no idea what Even’s problem was.

“You didn’t tell me that Jonas was going to bring a friend,” Even mumbled, his voice oddly hoarse.

“I thought I did?”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Why does it even matter? Isak is a great guy.”

Even looked down. His cheeks were tinted a little pink, too. That could easily be from baking and standing next to the hot oven for the past thirty minutes or so, but.

“Oh my god, Even!” Eva raised her eyebrows, amused.

“Shut up!” Even hissed, still not looking at Eva. Eva couldn’t help but laugh. Never before had she seen Even act so shy.  

“He’s gay, by the way. And single,” Eva said grinning widely and turned around, leaving the flabbergasted Even behind.

Eva knew it wasn’t exactly her place to tell, had learned her lesson after that time she and Noora blabbered about their suspicions to Eskild. Once Isak had actually come out, Eskild had made them promise that they would never ever tell Isak they’d known, and that they would never again treat someone’s sexuality like a piece of gossip. But somehow Eva had a hunch that Isak wouldn’t mind her meddling this time. At least she hoped he wouldn’t.   

“C’mon Even, we don’t want the cookies to burn. Or the pizza to get cold.”

As soon as Eva and Even came back, Isak and Jonas stopped talking, almost mid-sentence. Jonas beamed at Eva and took her hand, intertwining their fingers, but Isak was tearing the label of his beer bottle, not looking at anyone.

“Ooo-kay,” Eva decided to break the silence before it had a chance to get too uncomfortable. “I don’t think you and Even have met?”

Isak looked up and swallowed, with an unreadable look on his face. Even regarded him quietly and raised his brows. Eva wasn’t sure, but it felt almost like they were having a silent discussion.  

“Isak, this is Even,” she continued the introductions, regardless, motioning with her free hand. Isak gave a tiny nod, averting his eyes almost immediately. “And Even, this is Isak. Isak is a shithead I’ve known for years. Even studies media at the UiO and volunteers here.”

“I’ve definitely seen you before, Isak,” Even said, smiling a little now. He seemed to have gotten over his initial surprise, or whatever that was, pretty quickly. “You know, at the Kaffebrenneriet that’s on Markveien? I work there on weekends.”

Isak’s head snapped up again and he assessed Even for a moment before shrugging and mumbling something about it being Eskild’s favourite coffee place.

Even looked thoughtful. “Is Eskild the redhead who keeps hitting on me?”

“That sounds like him,” Eva laughed.

“Eskild hits pretty much on everything that moves, don’t take it too personally,” Jonas said, with a casual glance at Isak. “You want a beer, Even?”

Even shook his head. “I think I’ll just drink coke, but thanks.”

An hour and almost three and half pizzas later they were ridiculously full and the centre smelled like gingerbread cookies no one felt like eating.

“Oh shit, I’m never going to eat anything ever again,” Isak groaned, yawning, and blushed promptly when he noticed that Even was looking at him. They had been glancing at each other almost constantly, and for some reason seemed to be under the impression that they were being subtle. Eva would have laughed at them but thought it was too early to embarrass them.  

She felt Jonas’ eyes on her, his hand giving her thigh a gentle squeeze. She turned towards him and found him jerking his head slightly towards Even and Isak, a knowing smile on his face. Eva smiled back and gave a tiny nod. She knew it was enough, that Jonas would know she understood and agreed. Isak deserved to be happy. And after whatever that fiasco with Sander had been last weekend, he definitely deserved to meet someone he actually liked.

After a moment Jonas’ smile softened, turned more private. Eva felt a soft kiss on her forehead, then two pecks on the top of her head. She closed her eyes and hummed contentedly, burrowing even closer to Jonas.

It had been six months, and there were still times she could barely believe she was allowed to have this again. To have Jonas again. To have Jonas and Isak in her life. The three of them almost like they used to be. But better.      

“You think it’s still snowing?” she asked quietly. “Maybe we should go and check?”

It was still snowing.

Eva and Jonas stayed at the door for a while, looking at the world covered in thick snow. It was quiet apart from the wind whipping between buildings. Further away there was a lone figure walking down the street, trying to hold the hood of their parka up with both hands. Eva shivered a little, but the cold felt almost good, too, with all the warmth she suddenly had inside herself.           

“Do you think they’re making out already?” Jonas wondered. “Or should we stay here a little longer?”

Eva let out a laugh and gave Jonas a quick kiss. “Let’s stay five more minutes, then we can go back and yell at them if they’re  _ not _ making out.”

When they came back Isak and Even were not making out, but it was a near thing. Even had apparently decided to teach Isak how to make gløgg from scratch, and explained how he had mixed all the spices with elderberry syrup and water the night before. Now all he had to do was to filter the spices out and heat the liquid slowly in a pot. (“Just remember you’re not supposed to let it boil, never let it boil, Isak!”)

Isak stood so close to Even it looked like his hair was almost tickling Even’s face, and he kept nodding like gløgg was the most important thing in the world. More important than getting a six in biology, even. He looked at Even through his lashes, with a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth, and asked why the gløgg was white instead of red.

Jonas was about to take a step towards the kitchen, but Eva stopped him with a hand on his bicep, shaking her head quickly.  

“My grandma is from Sweden,” Even explained. “She’s lived here for 55 years but this is how they used to make it where she’s from. She adds usually a little bit of honey and a lot of white wine, but I don’t have wine with me, obviously. This was supposed to be for my kids.”

“ _ Your _ kids?” Isak asked with a teasing tone.

“Umm, uh, I’ve sort of gotten into the habit of calling them that. It’s easier to say than ‘children I’m hanging out with and sort of teaching at the youth centre’. I know it sounds weird.”  

“I don’t think it sounds weird,” Isak whispered and took a step even closer.

Eva grabbed Jonas’ hand and dragged him back to the hallway. The moment they were witnessing felt too private for their eyes.

“I’ve known Isak since we were six and I’ve never seen him like that,” Jonas admitted once they weren’t within the earshot anymore. He looked like he’d seen a revelation, almost. “I mean, I’ve seen him flirt with tons of girls, and even some boys this past year, but he’s never looked at anyone like that. Never.”     

“They are so fucking cute,” Eva sighed. “Were we ever that cute?”

“I think we were,” Jonas answered. “We still are,” he decided after some contemplation, closing the distance between them and pecking Eva repeatedly on the lips. “We’re.”  _ – Kiss –  _ “the.”  _ – Kiss –  _ “cutest.”  _ – Kiss.  _ “The fucking cutest. And don’t you dare doubt that.”

Before they had a chance to get any further with that thought, they were interrupted by an abrupt noise and some muffled cursing coming from the kitchen.

“What happened?” Eva asked once they reached the boys. Even’s hair was a mess and his whole face was very red. Isak didn’t look much better. Eva raised her eyebrows at Jonas. Some progress had definitely been made here.   

“We boiled the fucking gløgg,” Even admitted, running a hand through his hair and messing it up even more.

Isak rubbed Even’s arm almost absentmindedly. “I’m sure it will taste fine.”

“It won’t.”

Isak gave Even a look that was somehow both fond and exasperated at the same time and poured some gløgg for himself. He raised the mug to his lips, blew gently on the hot liquid and took a sip.

“Oh shit, that’s gross,” he spluttered. “And way too hot. It tastes like metal or something.”

“I told you, it gets a metallic taste from the pot if you let it get to the boiling point.”

“Ugh, I burnt my tongue too,” Isak vinced, turning on the faucet and filling his mug with cold water instead.

“Poor you,” Even said, smiling gently, brushing his knuckles quickly across Isak’s cheek. “I’m sorry, I should’ve stopped you before you drank that.

“Wasn’t your fault,” Isak mumbled.  “And I’m sure the gløgg would’ve been very good if we had taken it off the stove a little earlier.”

Even beamed at him. “Oh, you think so?”

“Definitely,” Isak nodded, smiling so wide now he looked suddenly a lot younger. A lot like the Isak Eva had known before Nissen.

“And why’s that?” Even asked.  

“Because it was you who made it,” Isak said, giving Even an almost shy glance through his lashes.

Jonas decided to clear his throat, because it seemed that their presence had been forgotten. “It’s getting late,” he said. “And I don’t think we’re going to get anywhere in this weather. Do you think we could sleep here?”

“We could go to the kollektiv,” Isak suggested, like it was only occurring to him now. “It’s only 400 meters from here, and you and Eva could take Linn’s bed. She’s spending the christmas break at her parents and left this morning.”

“What about me? I suppose you have a couch for me or something?” Even asked, biting his lip.

Isak blushed. Eva swore she’d seen Isak blush more times tonight than in the past five years combined.

“Yeah, the couch in the living room is pretty good,” he stammered. “Noora slept there like for months last year.”

Even laughed warmly. “Okay, lead the way, then.”

 

***

 

The next morning Eva was tiptoeing back from the bathroom when she heard voices coming from the kitchen. It was still completely dark outside, but the kitchen was bathed in an artificial, yellowish light from the lamp. Even was stirring something in the pan and humming along to a catchy pop song on the radio. 

“Morning, Even.”

“Oh, hi Eva,” Even turned around and directed his blinding smile towards Eva. “Good morning! Did you sleep well?”

“I did, actually. And you?”

“Yes, I did,” Even answered, turning back towards the stove with a tiny, private smile on his face. He looked happy, contented. Eva couldn’t help but think that happy was a good look for him.

She decided to tease a little. “Sooo, the couch was comfortable, then?”   

“Nah, I didn’t sleep on the couch,” Even shrugged, trying to sound casual. He couldn’t hide his pleased smile, though, and glanced quickly at Eva. “I’m sure you already knew that.”

“I guess I did,” Eva admitted, grinning.

Eva and Jonas had seen Even to disappear into Isak’s room last night after Isak had mumbled something about having an extra pair of pajamas Even could borrow. And they most definitely hadn’t seen him come out of there. They had stayed up and talked in the living room at least an hour after that.

It didn’t exactly take an hour to change into pajamas, Eva didn’t think.

Suddenly she had an urge to hug Even. The sweet, kind, beautiful Even who seemed to like Isak just as much as Isak seemed to like him.

She almost did, too. But Eskild stumbled into the kitchen just then, his eyes bleary and his ridiculous silk robe half open.

“Morning, Eva,” he said, yawning, and seemed to notice Even mid-yawn, because his face did some very interesting things right there. “Oh,  _ hello _ . Am I still dreaming, or are you that hot barista Isak is always ogling at Kaffebrenneriet?”

Even laughed so hard that his eyes turned into small slits. “I don’t know, am I?”

“Are you what?” Isak’s voice sounded from the doorway. He looked very confused, standing there in boxer briefs and a threadbare t-shirt with a Simpson’s print. Half-asleep and trying to understand the scene unfolding before him.

“Oh, I was just saying --,” Eskild began, but was interrupted by Even who – in only few steps – managed to reach Isak and cradle his face between his hands.

“Morning, Isak,” Even whispered and bent down a few centimeters to capture Isak’s lips in a quick, soft kiss. “I made you breakfast. I hope you like scrambled eggs.”

Isak nodded, looking a little dazed still, but followed Even to the table and accepted the plate Even offered him.

Eskild turned towards Eva and raised his eyebrows before skipping to the coffeemaker and pouring two cups of coffee, bringing the other one to Eva. Eva took the cup, smiling thankfully and leaned on the windowsill. She didn’t understand how someone could be that perky so early in the morning.

“Aren’t you going to introduce your friend, Isak?” Eskild asked, sitting down at the table and offering his hand to Even. “I’m Eskild, Isak’s roommate and guru.”

Even shook Eskild’s hand and introduced himself, looking amused. “Even.”  

Isak, on the other hand, did not look amused. He kept shooting daggers at Eskild while Eskild took small sips of his coffee and regarded Isak and Even with a faux-contemplative look.        

“So,” he finally questioned, ignoring Isak’s angry glares completely and clapping hands together. “How did you two lovebirds meet?”

“Eskild!” Isak whined, his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment, and let his head hit the table.

Even let out a laugh and rubbed Isak’s arm, looking at him fondly.  

“I’m friends with Eva, she introduced us actually,” he answered with a warm glance at her, like some of his fondness towards Isak had poured over and radiated now at every direction, reaching all the way to Eva.   

Eva smiled at him. She had definitely thought they were friends, had even referred to Even as “my friend” while facetiming with Noora. It was just that she hadn’t been sure if Even saw it in the same way. Turns out he did.

“Well, that’s completely unfair,” Eskild complained. “Eva has never introduced me to any hot guys.”  

“She introduced you to me, didn’t she?” Jonas asked, stepping into the kitchen and making a beeline for the coffee pot.   

“Umm,” Isak protested. “Since when are you hot? Besides, I’m pretty sure  _ I  _ introduced Eskild to you?”

“No, I think it was Eva,” Eskild said, grinning. “At that party, when they didn’t know that you lived in the b--,” he faltered a little and glanced quickly at Even before babbling some more. “I mean, when they didn’t know you had moved here. She introduced us too, I think. Or tried to. Because we knew each other already, of course. You and me. Or is it you and I? I never remember.”

“Right, I did introduce you two,” Eva admitted, remembering now.  

Even looked at Isak questioningly, like asking what he had missed now. Eva saw how Isak took his hand, played with Even’s fingers, and mouthed something that looked like “I’ll explain later”. Even nodded and smiled, and soon the corners of Isak’s mouth were turning up, too.

Some of the tension seemed to leave Eskild at that, like up until now he had been seriously worried about ruining something.    

Jonas drank the last of his coffee, put the mug into the sink and took a few steps towards Eva, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Halla baby,” he whispered, nuzzling his face into her hair. “How do you feel about skipping today? Going out for breakfast?”

 

***     

 

Snow was mostly removed from the streets and sidewalks, but the world was still blanketed in white as Eva and Jonas walked hand in hand towards Baker Hansen in St. Hanshaugen. The sky was grey, but it wasn’t snowing anymore. Cars parked next to the curb didn’t look like cars at all, more like big white lumps of snow, and the plow that had cleared the street earlier that morning had packed even more snow around them. It would probably take a lot of work to get any of them to move before spring. Eva smiled a little, feeling laughter bubble up inside her at the thought of people trying to remember where they had parked and shovelling snow only to find a completely wrong car underneath it. 

She stepped closer to Jonas and smiled at him softly. Jonas smiled back, squeezing her hand. They were going to skip school today, because exams were over and there wouldn’t be anything important anyway.

Just five minutes earlier, mom had sent a message that she would be home for christmas after all. Jonas was going to buy her breakfast. Eskild had promised not to pester and embarrass Isak too much.

Stepping inside Baker Hansen, Eva felt light, happy, and warm.     

 

**Author's Note:**

> It just occurred to me that the bus name, Vivà la drità, won't make sense to people who don't speak Norwegian. Drita = wasted, shitfaced. I can't take credit for that name because I don't actually know anything about russ – I used a name generator at russebiler.no.
> 
> Also, I have totally boiled gløgg. 
> 
> Also also, I had to edit out all the emojis because AO3 didn't like them. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


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